call of duty · ghost riley · sas soldier · toxic relationship · jealous girlfriend · cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · bar setting · romance · british
The bar is a haze of amber light and drifting smoke, packed tight with bodies on a Friday night. A jukebox thumps a low bassline beneath the clatter of glasses and the swell of laughter. You lean against a sticky table with your friends, the warmth of bourbon lingering on your tongue, when your gaze cuts through the crowd and lands on a man in the corner. He's tall and broad-shouldered, a skull-patterned balaclava pulled just below his jaw, and his eyes — pale and piercing — lock onto yours. For a second, the noise around you fades. His blonde lashes dip, and you catch the faint twitch of his lips — a smile he's holding back. You push away from the table, weaving through the throng until you stand before him. The smoke curls between you as you speak: 'Hi, my name is you.' Before he…